Best Colin du Plessis Podcasts (2024)

1
#7 The Troubles with Prof Liam Kennedy 57:27

2y ago57:27

57:27

We delve into some Irish history with Prof Liam Kennedy. Liam has published a myriad of books on Irish history. We look closely at his 2020 book "Who was responsible for the Troubles". These are some of the questions we try to answer: What is a brief definition of the Troubles? What period are we looking at? Is Ireland part of the UK? What is at th…

1
#6 A Secret Apartheid Massacre with Dr Mignonne Breier 1:01:40

2y ago1:01:40

1:01:40

Link to Untextbooked. Have you ever heard about the East Bank Location Massacre on 9 November 1952? Neither have we. Dr Mignonne Breier joins us to talk about her book Bloody Sunday in which she uncovered the gruesome details of this massacre that upends the conventional apartheid narrative. Here are some of the questions we consider: Why do so few…

1
#5 South African Military History with Prof Timothy Stapleton 1:01:26

2y ago1:01:26

1:01:26

In this episode, we get our hands dirty with some military history. Prof Timothy Stapleton of the University of Calgary joins us to discuss South Africa's turbulent past. We look at wars from the earliest colonial times to the end of apartheid. These are the questions we try to answer: What is Prof Timothy Stapleton's connection to South Africa? Wh…

1
#4 Prebunking Misinformation with Dr Jon Roozenbeek 40:34

2y ago40:34

40:34

How should we combat misinformation in the history classroom? What does it take to stop misinformation at the outset? Dr Jon Roozenbeek is a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge and joins us to discuss his team's latest research on "prebunking" misinformation. Some of the questions we try to answer: Di…

1
#3 Lilian Ngoyi with Dr Martha Evans 43:50

2y ago43:50

43:50

Many streets and clinics bear Lilian Ngoyi's name, but who was she and what was the nature of her accomplishments as an anti-apartheid activist? Dr Martha Evans is working on a substantive biography of Ma'Ngoyi and joins us to share some interesting insights about Lilian's remarkable life. Here are some of the questions we try to answer: Why is Lil…

1
#2 OERProject and History Teaching with Prof Bob Bain 55:36

2y ago55:36

55:36

Prof Bob Bain joins us, probably one of the biggest names in history teaching. This conversation brought a whole new dimension to what effective history teaching should look like. Questions we set out to answer: Does Bob Bain play the guitar? Why are all historians, in essence, teachers? The power of that ONE inspirational history teacher/lecturer …

1
#1 The Science of Learning with Dr Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel 34:27

2y ago34:27

34:27

In this first episode of our fifth season, we explore the field of learning. Dr Carolina Kuepper-Tetzel is a cognitive psychologist who specialises in how we learn best. She is part of an inspiring initiative called the Learning Scientists. She shares some of her valuable insights with us. Questions we explore: Is there a trick or a secret to commu…

1
#14 The Cradock Four with Zikhona Valela 1:00:02

2+ y ago1:00:02

1:00:02

The following twitter post accompanies this episode of The Cradock Four. https://mobile.twitter.com/valavoosh/status/1276826105740169218 The historian, Zikhona Valela, joins us to talk about the Cradock Four and, more specifically, misinformation around the supposed famous photo of the Cradock Four. Zikhona tells the story of the four men who were …

1
#13 Reevaluating World War II: Stalin's War with Prof Sean McMeekin 1:04:32

2+ y ago1:04:32

1:04:32

Join us for a conversation with Prof Sean McMeekin on his new book Stalin's War: A New History of World War II. This is a very timely discussion in light of the unfolding war in Ukraine. Some of the points of discussion: How is Stalin’s War different from the conventional Hitler-centric account of World War II? How is it possible to even write a ne…

1
#12 Interrogating the MAIN causes of WWI with Michael Neiberg 35:07

2+ y ago35:07

35:07

Michael joins us again to challenge some widely held beliefs about the causes of WWI. The long-term causes of World War One are often conveniently taught using the acronym MAIN, which stands for militarism, alliances, imperialism, and nationalism. It is often argued that the presence of these ingredients in Europe made the First World War inevitabl…

1
#11 Fighting Misinformation with Dr Joel Breakstone 45:53

2+ y ago45:53

45:53

In this episode we explore Civic Online Reasoning in more depth. We are joined by Dr Joel Breakstone of the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG). This is in an effort to effectively fight misinformation. Why is it called Civic Online Reasoning? What does Civic Online Reasoning have to do with history? How does source analysis and source evaluati…

1
#10 1942 with Taylor Downing 36:52

3y ago36:52

36:52

Taylor Downing joins us again for another discussion - this time about his newest work entitled 1942: Britain at the Brink. The book and this discussion delves into the fateful year of 1942 when British morale reached a new low - military defeats abroad saw the British public lose faith in their leadership and it seemed as though wartime prime mini…

1
We have our own intro jingle!!! 0:54

3y ago0:54

0:54

We are super excited about this new jingle! It was written and performed specifically for our show by Alwyn Bekker. When it comes to acoustic guitar chops, his guy is the real deal! It's like he has fifty fingers! I recommend you guys go and check out his band, Bad Peter, as well. Our favourite song is definitely "On This River". I hope you guys en…

1
#9 The Industrial Revolution in World History with Prof Peter N Stearns 43:05

3y ago43:05

43:05

In this episode Prof Peter N Stearns of the George Mason University provides an overview of the Industrial Revolution. The 5th edition of Peter's book, The Industrial Revolution in World History, was published in 2021. This is what we've discussed: How does the perspective of a world historian differ from that of an economic historian? Why is the I…

1
#8 Apartheid Series with Dr Wayne Dooling - Resistance to Apartheid 51:47

3y ago51:47

51:47

In the third part of the series, Dr Dooling tells us about the various ways in which the people of South Africa resisted the oppressive Apartheid regime. Dr Dooling delves into the different political currents in 20th century South Africa, touching on organisations such as the the ICU, the ANC, the PAC as well as the various affiliated organisation…

1
#7 Teaching History the Stanford Way with Dr Joel Breakstone 46:34

3y ago46:34

46:34

At the end of 2021, we are very fortunate to talk to Dr Joel Breakstone of the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) about their Reading Like a Historian lesson plans and Beyond the Bubble history skills assessments. We also find out more about SHEG's Civic Online Reasoning curriculum which will greatly benefit history learners in identifying mis…

1
#6 The Charismatic Leadership Style of Albert Luthuli with Prof Benda Hofmeyr 35:21

3y ago35:21

35:21

About a month ago, the University of Pretoria celebrated the life of Chief Albert Luthuli. At these celebrations, Prof Benda Hofmeyr gave a presentation on the philosophical legacy of Albert Luthuli with specific emphasis on his charismatic leadership style. What we discuss: Why did a philosophy professor take an interest in leadership styles and s…

1
#5 Wondrium History Geek Out with Kevin Manzel 59:52

3y ago59:52

59:52

Join our history geek-out session with Kevin Manzel. Kevin is the senior director of content development at Wondrium. Colin and I are both big fans of Wondrium's history courses and use them as resources in our history classrooms. We cover the following: What is a history geek-out session? How does Wondrium connect disparate topics? What is Wondriu…

1
#4 The History of Learning and the Learning of History with Prof Donald Clark 1:08:11

3y ago1:08:11

1:08:11

William talks to the learning expert, Donald Clark, about the history of learning theory and about the best way to teach and learn history. Questions covered: Where does Donald’s interest in history come from? How has the way in which we learn changed over time? Why is the invention of writing the “Big Bang” moment of collective learning? Why is th…

1
#3 Apartheid Series with Dr Wayne Dooling - Apartheid 43:38

3y ago43:38

43:38

In the second episode of the Apartheid Series we transition from the policies of Segregation in South Africa towards the implementation of Apartheid. In this episode Dr Dooling discusses some of the motivations behind the National Party's choice to put such a rigid system of racial segregation and separation in place. Topics such as Afrikaner Natio…

1
#2 Apartheid Series with Dr Wayne Dooling - Segregation 29:06

3y ago29:06

29:06

In the first episode of our Apartheid Series, Colin is joined by Dr Wayne Dooling from the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London. The conversation deals with the concept of segregation in South Africa, where it comes from and how it was implemented. As an expert on Race, Segregation, and Apartheid in Twentieth-century S…

1
#1 Apartheid 101 with William Palk 31:19

3y ago31:19

31:19

A great collaboration with Kelly Chase of the History Detective! The perfect way to start Season 4. In this episode we aim give an overview of the policy and practice of apartheid in South Africa from 1948 to 1994. Here are some of the questions we cover. What does the Afrikaans word "apartheid" translate to? How did South Africa get to the point w…

1
#19 D-Day - Operation Overlord with Michael Neiberg 37:18

3+ y ago37:18

37:18

In this episode, Colin is joined once again by the American military historian, Michael Neiberg. This time they discuss a little thing called D-Day a.k.a. the Normandy Invasion a.k.a. Operation Overlord. Operation Overlord is one of the largest operations in military history and in this discussion Michael and Colin delve into not only the events of…

1
#18 Choreomania with Dr Kelina Gotman 46:23

3+ y ago46:23

46:23

In this episode Colin speaks to the author of Choreomania: Dance and Disorder, Dr Kelina Gotman. Kelina is from King's College in London and her research interests include theatre, dance and performance history, and philosophy. In this episode we tackle the formation of the concept of the ‘dancing disease’ in nineteenth-century colonial medical, ps…

1
#17 Dr Abdullah Abdurahman with Stephen Langtry 41:29

3+ y ago41:29

41:29

In this episode William discusses the neglected narrative of Dr Abdullah Abdurahman with Stephen Langtry. Dr Abdullah was South Africa's first elected black politician. Here are some of the questions we look at: · The life and times of Dr Abdullah · We discuss Martin Plaut's biography of Dr Abdullah · Are there many lost figures in South African hi…

1
#16 Krotoa with Prof Shanade Barnabas 38:01

3+ y ago38:01

38:01

In this episode, William discusses the life and legacy of the enigmatic Khoi woman, Krotoa, with Professor Shanade Barnabas of the University of Johannesburg (UJ). The discussion is based on the award-winning 2017 film made to commemorate her life. Some of the questions include: What is the main storyline of Krotoa and why has it won so many awards…

1
#15 South Africa's Education Mismatch with Dr Precious Mncayi 52:42

3+ y ago52:42

52:42

In this episode William is in conversation with Dr Precious Mncayi about research she has done into South Africa's unemployment crisis. We have an unemployment rate of at least 29% and it is therefore vital to look at the mismatches between education and the demands of the labour market. Read her article here. Questions asked in this podcast: Is SA…

1
#14 Ancient Greek Mythology and Religion with Prof Robert Garland 58:50

3+ y ago58:50

58:50

In this episode Colin is joined by HSHR researcher, Gemma Mills, to discuss Ancient Greek mythology and religion. To help them understand the topic better, they have employed the help of an expert in the field in the form of the Roy D. and Margaret B. Wooster Professor of the Classics from Colgate University - Professor Robert Garland. At the hand …

1
#13 San Rock Art with Dr Tim Forssman 40:46

3+ y ago40:46

40:46

Archaeologist, Dr Tim Forssman, joins William to talk about San Rock Art. These are some of the questions they look at. Who are the San? Were they the only southern Africans that left behind rock art? How do archaeologists find rock art sites? How many rock art sites are there in southern Africa? Tim's favorite rock art site. How did the San go abo…

1
#12 The Coming of Democracy in South Africa with Justine Naude 34:05

3+ y ago34:05

34:05

William is joined by one of his Grade 12 learners, Justine Naude, to discuss a question that appeared in last year's final IEB History paper. The question asked to critically evaluate whether or not the National Party undermined the negotiation process from 1990 to 1994. We discuss the NP's insistence on power sharing and whether their involvement …

1
#11 The Evolution of Skin Colour with Prof Nina Jablonski 57:35

3+ y ago57:35

57:35

"Never stop working for humanity" - Nina Jablonski American anthropologist, Prof Nina Jablonski, joins us to discuss the evolution of skin colour. We discuss the biological concept of race and the social construct of racism. We differentiate between racial categorization and racial identification. Were the ancients indifferent to race? Did you know…

1
#10 The Causes of the Mfecane with Emma Theron 30:38

3+ y ago30:38

30:38

William is joined by one of his Grade 11 students, Emma Theron, to discuss the causes of the Mfecane. This is a period of intense transformation amongst the African tribes in southern Africa. The Mfecane is dated to between 1750 and the 1830s and saw the rise of famous kingdoms like that of Shaka's Zulu kingdom. We look at the internal, environment…

1
#9 Some more South African History with Ayanda Nenemba of the Ilibo Village Community 18:04

3+ y ago18:04

18:04

This is Part 2 of an interview William did with Ayanda Nenemba on the Ilibo Village Community YouTube channel. Ayanda's aim to build the South African community through conversation. Ayanda isn't someone who shies away from talking about the hard issues, but she wants to show the magnanimity of the South African nation. We want to extend an invitat…

1
#8 Bones and Stones Interview 26:45

3+ y ago26:45

26:45

This is our interview with the team of Bones and Stones. Tim Forssman is an archaeologist at the University of Pretoria and he and his team is on a mission to make archaeology more accessible. They invited us for an episode on their YouTube channel, Bones and Stones. We hope to collaborate with them on an ongoing basis and bring archaeology into th…

1
#7 Independent Tanzania with Dr Derek R Peterson 53:24

3+ y ago53:24

53:24

In this episode we explore the history of Tanzania with East African historian, Dr Derek R Peterson of the University of Michigan. We start by looking at the early history of this East African state: from the ancient Swahili to the creation of the East African slave trade. We also compare the legacies of German and British colonization (including a…

1
#6 Undoing the Bushman Stereotype with Dr Tim Forssman 39:54

4y ago39:54

39:54

In this second episode with archaeologist Dr Tim Forssman of the University of Pretoria, we take a closer look at his excavations at Little Muck and Dzombo and how the findings are shedding new light on the social relations between the San hunter-gatherers and early farmers of southern Africa. William finds out more about the "Kalahari debate" and …

1
#5 Film and History with Dr Nisa Paleker 48:20

4y ago48:20

48:20

In this episode of HSHR, Dr Nisa Paleker from The Department of Historical and Heritage Studies at the University of Pretoria, talks to us about the value of film in the study of History. Dr Paleker sheds some light on how film can be used in historical study by focusing on film as a source of history, film as history and film in history. Our discu…

1
#4 The Treaty of Versailles with Michael Neiberg 42:04

4y ago42:04

42:04

In this episode of HSHR, Colin speaks to American military historian and Chair of War Studies at the US Army War College, Michael Neiberg. Michael specialises in 20th-century military history and has written numerous award-winning books including the acclaimed 2018 The Treaty of Versailles: A Concise History. So it seemed only appropriate that the …

1
#3 Archaeology and Early South African History with Dr Tim Forssman 30:44

4y ago30:44

30:44

In this episode, William talks to archaeologist Dr Tim Forssman about the early history of southern Africa. Tim is a senior lecturer at the University of Pretoria and hosts his own YouTube channel Bones and Stones. Tim helps us define archaeology and explains why Indiana Jones is probably not the best example of what it means to be an archaeologist…

1
#2 Bitter Fruit with Stephen Schlesinger 47:57

4y ago47:57

47:57

In this episode Colin speaks to foreign relations expert and author of Bitter Fruit: The Story of the American Coup in Guatemala, about the CIA-backed overthrow of Jacobo Arbenz , the democratically elected leader of Guatemala. Was this episode merely a Cold War incident or was there more to it than fears of communist insurrection? Was this a spont…

1
#1 The Detective Mindset with Kelly Chase 27:21

4y ago27:21

27:21

A new year, and a new exciting season of High School History Recap! We kick off the year with a conversation with Kelly Chase of the History Detective podcast. Why did this history teacher venture into podcasting? We discuss the importance of creating a detective mindset to counter all the misinformation and conspiracy theories out there. Kelly als…

1
#11 The Story of Stoicism Part 2 with Donald J Robertson 43:25

4y ago43:25

43:25

This is Part 2 of the story of Stoicism with Donald J Robertson. We discuss Socrates's uncomplicated take on the truth. How did the Stoic philosophy of Socrates differ from that of Marcus Aurelius? We look at how Stoicism (and beards) became popular in Rome. Some of the Stoics we talk about include Cato the Younger, Epictetus, . How did Roman (or M…

1
#10 The Story of Stoicism Part 1 with Donald J Robertson 51:05

4y ago51:05

51:05

In this episode, I explore the story of Stoicism with Donald Robertson. It takes us all the way back to Socrates, who is considered to be the godfather of Stoicism. Donald tells a number of stories related to the emergence of this school of philosophy. Did you know that Plato's Academy was only one of many gymnasia in ancient Greece? We talk about …

1
#9 South African History with Ayanda Nenemba of the Ilibo Village Community 1:03:33

4y ago1:03:33

1:03:33

In this episode Ayanda and I discuss a number of issues related to South African history. Ayanda is the founder of the Ilibo Group - a Village Comcast initiative aimed at "telling South African stories the South African way". If you want to watch the interview, please follow this link. Find Ayanda on twitter @restored_80 or subscribe to her YouTube…

1
#8 Causes of World War I 45:19

4y ago45:19

45:19

In this episode Colin and I look at the causes of World War I. We first discuss the components of the historical narrative and then move on to that very famous spark of the war: the assassination of Franz Ferdinand. We look at some of the long term causes of the war as well, including nationalism, militarism, imperialism and alliances (the MAIN cau…

1
#7 Fall of the Soviet Union 46:16

4y ago46:16

46:16

In his resignation address in December 1991, Gorbachev referred to the "suffocating shackles of the Soviet Union's bureaucratic command system". What was Gorbachev's role in the collapse of the Soviet Union? We start the story with the fall of the Berlin Wall as the signature event of the end of the Cold War, but we also look at how the Soviet Unio…

1
#6 Independent Congo with Dr Glen Ncube 1:01:07

4y ago1:01:07

1:01:07

Join us for a discussion on the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) with African historian, Dr Glen Ncube. We take a broad view of the history of the Congo from the time of Belgian king Leopold II to Mobutu Sese Seko. We zoom in on how the Congo became an independent country under Patrice Lumumba and find out more about his unfortunate assassina…

1
#5 The Anglo-Boer War in 10 Objects with Dane Swanepoel 53:49

4y ago53:49

53:49

In this episode we tell the story of the Anglo-Boer War with the help of 10 objects. Dane Swanepoel is the educational specialist at the Anglo-Boer War Museum in Bloemfontein. The objects include: a French postcard on British Imperialism, a cartoon on Cecil John Rhodes and his Cape to Cairo Railway, a statue titled Afskeid, a bust of De La Rey, a s…

1
#4 What's in the Box with Prof Karen Harris 44:34

4y ago44:34

44:34

An episode on the historian's craft! Professor Karen Harris joins us on the podcast to tell us more about an initiative she started at the University of Pretoria to expose history students to archival material. We discuss how the teaching of history has changed over the years. Prof Harris points to the importance of the subject of history, but also…

1
#3 Operation Barbarossa: Russian Will and Winter 42:44

4y ago42:44

42:44

In this episode we look at the reasons for Hitler's decision to invade the Soviet Union in June 1941. Why was it called Operation Barbarossa? The Germans put together a large army (of up to almost 4 million soldiers) and they employed a three-pronged invasion strategy. We look at the role of the Einsatzgruppen in executing part of the Nazi's Final …

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